looking at these tree ferns the trunks are massive!!
but also there are some bits where they go thin and then thick again.
what governs the thickness of a tree fern trunk, particularly of Dicksonia antarctica ?
trunk thickness
Re: trunk thickness
I would hazard a guess that the thinnest parts of the trunk were grown during years where the plant didn`t grow very well. Probably down to weather conditions. The thickest parts grown in better conditions. Baring in mind that the plants trunk is made up from the previous years growth year on year. The trunk can also appear bigger lower down by simply not being snipped off closer to the trunk.
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Re: trunk thickness
The visible trunk ia a mass of fibre and roots surrounding the rhizome in the centre. I'm not sure if the thickness is governed by the rhizome, or if just the length of roots surrounding it.
Older ferns tend to have a swollen base and the swollen bit at the top is due to longer frond bases which disintegrate over a few years. This gives the appearance of thinner bit in the middle, although as Andy said, conditions may also play a part
The pic is of well manicured ferns with hundreds of fronds in the crown. Moist of these have been removed but leaving frond bases.
Older ferns tend to have a swollen base and the swollen bit at the top is due to longer frond bases which disintegrate over a few years. This gives the appearance of thinner bit in the middle, although as Andy said, conditions may also play a part
The pic is of well manicured ferns with hundreds of fronds in the crown. Moist of these have been removed but leaving frond bases.
Best regards
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
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Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Re: trunk thickness
thanks for the info
so there is no tricks to help it thicken up were all i was wondering
so there is no tricks to help it thicken up were all i was wondering
- Dave Brown
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- Posts: 19742
- Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:17 am
- Location: Chalk, (Thames Estuary) Kent, England 51.5N 0.3E
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Re: trunk thickness
You can by putting a tube around the trunk and filling the gap with peat and the roots grow into it, thickening the trunk. Never tried it myself but heard others have.Mr List wrote:thanks for the info
so there is no tricks to help it thicken up were all i was wondering
Best regards
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Re: trunk thickness
mine looks to be a nice thickness but i was just wondering if there was anything i needed to know to make sure it didn't wither away a little.
i did mound up compost up against the base as much as i could though.
i did mound up compost up against the base as much as i could though.
Re: trunk thickness
We are talking Dicksonia antarctica's aren't we?Mr List wrote:mine looks to be a nice thickness but i was just wondering if there was anything i needed to know to make sure it didn't wither away a little.
i did mound up compost up against the base as much as i could though.
Re: trunk thickness
The tree ferns in Christchurch, New Zealand Botanical gardens with the thickest trunks are Dicksonia Fibrosas which have been out in the open for many years.
They are next to the shaded fern garden which has a huge Marattia Salicina.
Cheers: Ian Mc
They are next to the shaded fern garden which has a huge Marattia Salicina.
Cheers: Ian Mc
Re: trunk thickness
They were in the same greenhouse as the massive Jubaea, the fronds were massive!
Here are more pictures of those Dicksonia antarctica. One way to make the trunks look really nice is to leave a few inches of the frond stem intact instead of cutting it right back in line like most people do.
Here are more pictures of those Dicksonia antarctica. One way to make the trunks look really nice is to leave a few inches of the frond stem intact instead of cutting it right back in line like most people do.